Car crash over before consciousness kicks in

This is a fascinating run down of an ‘anatomy of a crash’ from Australian car magazine Drive suggesting that the accident can be over before we’re even consciously aware of it happening.

This is a reconstruction of a crash involving a stationary Ford Falcon XT sedan being struck in the driver’s door by another vehicle travelling at 50 km/h.

0 milliseconds – An external object touches the driver’s door.

1 ms – The car’s door pressure sensor detects a pressure wave.

2 ms – An acceleration sensor in the C-pillar behind the rear door also detects a crash event.

2.5 ms – A sensor in the car’s centre detects crash vibrations.

5 ms – Car’s crash computer checks for insignificant crash events, such as a shopping trolley impact or incidental contact. It is still working out the severity of the crash. Door intrusion structure begins to absorb energy.

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2 thoughts on “Car crash over before consciousness kicks in”

True, but surely this is trivial. We sense events 150-300ms late *all the time*. This means that, while the accident has already happened, it makes no difference to any observer of that event. What the article and your post suggests, probably unintentionally, is that in a high speed crash we are not aware of anything happening until it’s “too late”. But of course our “rate of experience” varies little in relation to the speed at which events unfold. Doesn’t it?

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